POLICIES AND PRACTICES IN POSTCOITAL CONTRACEPTIVE PROVISION - A SURVEY OF GENERAL-PRACTITIONERS AND HOSPITAL ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS

A postal survey of 200 hospital accident and emergency (A&E) departments and 200 general practitioner (GP) surgeries in the UK was undertaken regarding the provision of postcoital contraception. Questionnaires were returned by 153 (76.5 per cent) A&E departments and 126 (63 per cent) GPs. Information was obtained about the use of written policies and protocols, the circumstances under which postcoital contraception would/would not be provided and communication with other health professionals. Information was also collated from 155 calls from the general public about postcoital contraception to the Family Planning Association (FPA) national office contraception helpline. This included information about the interval between 'risk' incidents and seeking advice, awareness and knowledge of methods of postcoital contraception, previous use of postcoital contraception and preference of service provider. The survey results demonstrate that some administrative and clinical aspects of postcoital contraceptive provision differ between A&E departments and GPs, and between different A&E departments and GP surgeries. The findings also suggest that public anticipation of difficulty in obtaining postcoital contraception reduces its accessibility, despite its apparent availability from primary care providers. These findings are discussed within the context of possible future developments to make postcoital contraception available by pharmacist provision.